Is Summer Landscape photography Worth It?
As season go summer is pretty great. Holidays, warm sunny days, BBQs, beer gardens.......I could go on. However for Landscape photographers these months of all months are considered the least favourable of the lot. I can see why, I would much rather photograph in Winter or Spring if I had the choice. The list of dislikes is pretty extensive - obscene early sunrises, harsh light, dark green colour palette, insects, tourists etc. However Summer is here to stay as a season and there is nothing we can do about that........so do we just pack our gear up for 3 months..... no chance. I've actually embraced Summer photography and despite its many downsides I actually really enjoy these months. I don't see why we should dismiss summer, after all it is a season in its own right. So we need to forget about the long list of downsides and just embrace and work with what we've have got. This summer so far I've had a pretty good time and come away with some really nice images for my efforts. So sit back while I put my case forward for benefits of Summer photography.
1. Longer Day light Hours:
A major benefit for summer is the longer day light hours. If, like me, you aren't a full time pro and don't have ultimate flexibility to get out when ever you want, the summer months provides perfect opportunity. I tend to avoid most of the sunrises in the summer and instead opt for heading out with the camera in the evening after work. This gives me greater flexibility to pick and choose when I go out. In the winter and autumn I'm very much restricted to weekends only. So I definitely have a great hit rate in these summer months as I can review the weather and choose the better days. I've even been known to get out a couple of times in a single week.
Golden Hour on Low White Stones - Gorgeous mood and light on an evening shoot above Borrowdale.
2. A chance to Explore:
I know the Lake District gets insanely busy in the summer and all the usual hot spots are full to bursting at all times. However I have found this a good thing as its forced me to stay away from these places and explore other areas which I haven't been to before. I find this really rewarding and over the years I've come away with plenty of images from places not often frequented. It is also stimulating and good for your creativity, as visiting the 'hot spots' can stifle our creativity as the places have been shot many times before and its difficult to find originality. Getting out into places we don't know really gets us to think about making the image from something new as there is no pre conception we get from familiar locations.
Devoke Water Summer Moods - An image made from exploration of the fells around Devoke Water in the Western Lake District.
3. Typical British Summer:
One thing I can guarantee about the British summers is we won't have wall to wall sunshine at all times. This Summer has more resembled Autumn with plenty of wind and rain. This isn't so favourable for our holidays but its great for Landscape photography. Photographers always bang on about harsh light, but I've always experienced some great light in the summer months, especially when you throw in a little bit of mood as well. For me it's all about defusing this harsher light, so I try to get out when we have a good amount of cloud about to subdue the light. We can also be treated to temperature inversions in the summer months, so it's always worth keeping an eye on the weather apps. It's no different to any other time of year really, we just have to evaluate the weather and pick the days we believe are going to offer optimal conditions.
Wasdale Head Golden mood - While Wasdale and Wastwater was full to the brim with people, Illgill Head was quiet and peaceful.
4. The Green Green grass of Home:
I'll let you into a little secret....I actually really like the summer deep greens.....don't tell the photography purists. Further more, combine this with the right light and we can get some really striking images. The golden green combination I find quite pleasant and not a complete turn off. I tend to frequent the higher fells in the summer months, so I'm avoiding the bracken which usually dominates the lower slopes and opt for more grassy and rocky foreground, which offers a contrast and breaks up all the greens. I also like to see how the fells and scenes change over the seasons, it's the wonder of nature, the evolution of the landscape and I want to capture this as much as the other months.
Bow Fell Summer Gold - A location I've visited for years and one which is definitely at its best during the summer months due to the direction of the sun.
5. Hitting the Spot
I find some locations, because of the direction of the sun, are absolutely perfect for summer photography. I visited certain scenes time and time again through the seasons to find out which time of year will be best. I want the light to land perfectly on the scene I'm shooting whether that be in winter or summer. I choose the optimum direction of the light for the image and not because of the particular season. So go and find these locations that are perfect for summer photography. Further more if you combine the light with the best conditions and you can really have some joy. Don't be quick to dismiss visiting locations in the summer months, build up a knowledge of your local area and build a portfolio of locations that are perfect for some summer action.
Conclusion:
I believe these are pretty strong arguments for the benefits of Summer photography. Yes there are downsides and play offs but there is with everything. The benefits, for me personally, really out way the bad. I find summer creatively stimulating and inspiring by getting to locations I haven't been to before. I don't want to follow the crowd, I want to create different images to other photographers and the Summer is the vehicle for me to do this. I've found some great locations off the beaten track because of summer wanderings. Yes you have to take some risks and sometimes it doesn't pay off, but when it does is highly rewarding. Will I hang up the camera...not a chance. I'll be getting my boots on and out in the fells and enjoying the riches that summer can bring to my photography.